Eclectus Parrot

Eclectus roratus

The eclectus parrot is native to the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, New Guinea and northeastern Australia. They come in a variety of sub-species, including the Grand Eclectus, the Vosmaeri, and the Solomon Island Eclectus, with the latter being the most commonly found in captivity. It is known in the parrot family for its dimorphism, meaning that there are visual distinctions between the sexes. When these parrots were first discovered by European ornithologists, it was thought that the eclectus parrots were two distinct breeds.

The diet of the eclectus in the wild consists of mainly fruits, wild figs, unripe nuts, flower and leaf buds, and some seeds. In captivity, they eat most fruits including mangos, figs, guavas, bananas, melons, stone fruits, grapes, citrus fruits, pears, apples, pomegranate, and papaya.

A stocky short-tailed parrot, it measures around 14 in. in length. The male is mostly bright green with a yellow-tinge on the head. It has blue primaries, red flanks and underwing coverts. Its tail is edged with a narrow band of creamy yellow, and is dark grey edged with creamy yellow underneath, and the tail feathers are green centrally and more blue as they get towards the edges. Most female eclectus parrots are bright red in color. Their abdomen and nape are mostly blue with the mantle and underwing a darker more purple color. The wings are edged with a mauve-blue. The tail is edged with yellowish-orange above, and is more orange tipped with yellow underneath.